The popular horror anthology series hits a new high with V/H/S/Beyond, the wildest, weirdest entry yet. This time, all the stories possess some sort of science-fiction twist. Jay Cheel directs the framing device, a mockumentary about the long-standing public fascination with UFOs and alien abduction. In between, the following pieces of found footage freakiness take place:
Stork - Director Jordan Downey tells the tale of specially trained police officers who invade an abandoned home, where they find a slew of zombie-like creatures. That’s actually the least shocking thing they discover. Realistic violence, first-rate visual effects, and breathlessly paced editing combine to create the sort of suspense that makes you feel tight in the chest. One cop going after the creatures with a chainsaw – seen entirely from the perspective of his body camera - is easily one of the most demented sights you’ll see on a screen this year.
Dream Girl - In India, a paparazzo and his assistant visit the set of a movie featuring the country’s hottest new female star, Tara (Namrata Sheth). After sneaking into her trailer with the hope of getting some unsanctioned candid photos, it becomes clear that Tara is not exactly what she seems. The segment contains a full Bollywood musical number, gruesome violence, and a darkly satirical take on fame. It was directed by Virat Pal.
Live and Let Dive - A GoPro-wearing skydiver and his friends find their plane under attack from a UFO in Justin Martinez’s claustrophobic entry. That terror is nothing compared to what they experience after jumping out of the plane and landing in an orange grove. It’s clever how the story starts in a confined space, then shifts to one that’s wide open, finding horror in both. As an added bonus, you get a super-creepy alien that might even terrify the Xenomorph from Alien.
Fur Babies - Actor Justin Long teams with his brother Christian for this inspired bit of madness. Armed with a camera hidden inside a crate, two animal rights activists infiltrate the dog-sitting business of an outwardly chipper woman (Libby Letlow) they suspect of mistreating animals. What she’s really doing is much worse. Despite containing several ultra-gory moments, this story is actually kind of funny. Doggy-cam footage at the end is especially amusing, even as it leads to bloodshed.
Stowaway - Armed with a VHS camera, an aspiring documentarian (Alanah Pearce) heads into the desert to search for UFOs. She finds one and manages to enter it. Upon being injured, the ship appears to heal her. That seems great at first, until the ship takes off and she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for. Directed by Kate Siegel and written by Mike Flanagan (Doctor Sleep), Stowaway emphasizes tone over shocks, yet still manages to pack a punch.
The wraparound story is understandably a little thin, since its sole purpose is to glue everything else together. Otherwise, there are no clunkers in V/H/S/Beyond. The nearly two-hour running time flies right by because each of the individual tales is chock full of jolts.
out of four
V/H/S/Beyond is rated R for adult language and graphic violence. The running time is 1 hour and 54 minutes.
© 2024 Mike McGranaghan